On Monday, casts for matters concerning the home, emotions and nurturing.
Planetary Influence: The Moon
Household Symbols: Silver platters and bowls, moon shapes
Color: White and Silver
Kitchen Spices: Lemon rind and wintergreen.
Cottage Witchery
Natural Magick for Hearth and Home
Ellen Dugan
Midsummer is the sabbat that falls on the Summer Solstice (on or around June 21) and is also known as Litha. It is the longest day of the year, with the most light and the least dark, and the earth is at her most fertile. The land is full of energy and life; the goddess as mother is pregnant, and her consort the god is at the height of his powers. It is time to party and rejoice! (Like we really need an excuse for that.)
Midsummer is a time to celebrate family and love. It is a traditional day for handfasting rites (Pagan wedding ceremonies), and some Witches do divination now to help them find their true loves. If you’ve already found yours, be sure to celebrate that, too!
The Summer Solstice is also said to be the optimal day on which to harvest your magickal and medicinal herbs for use in the year ahead (which works really well if your growing season is such that these plants are actually ready to be harvested, of course-where I live, we just take a ritual clipping of each plant and call it good).
In the Pagan mythos, Midsummer marks the end of the waxing part of the year, ruled by the Oak King, and starts the waning half of the year, ruled by the Holly King. (At Midsummer’s counterpart, the Winter Solstice, or Yule, this is reversed, and the Oak King battles the Holly King to regain his throne.)
Witches celebrate Midsummer with strawberries and mead and feasts of summer foods. It is traditional to throw lavender into the bonfire as a sacrifice to the Old Gods (if at all possible, you have to have a bonfire). Some years my group throws in scraps of paper with the crap we want out of our lives written on them-willing sacrifices that we hope will leave more room for the positive potential of the energetic summer season.
Whether you celebrate alone or with others, be sure to take advantage of the powerful energy from earth and sun that is so abundant at this time of year, and take a moment to give thanks for all the blessings you are harvesting in your own life.
Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft
Deborah Blake
This day of the week is dedicated to the moon and all of her magic and mystery. Mondays are for women’s mysteries, illusion, prophetic dreaming, emotions, travel, and fertility.
Some suggestions for Monday enchantments would include:
*Getting outside and looking for the moon in the heavens. Sit under her light and absorb a little glamour. Call on the moon goddess Selene for practical help in magical issues.
*Invoking the god Thoth for wisdom and insight
*Empowering your silver jewelry under the light of the moon. Wear moonstone or pearl jewelry today to add a lunar and magical shimmer to your outfit. Be mysterious and subtle and wear moon-associated colors such as white, silver, and blue.
*Working spells for safe travel with a simple moonstone
*Gathering bluebells, jasmine, gardenias, or white roses to create a little garden witchery with the flowers that are associated with the moon
*Setting up a lunar Tarot spell today to increase your psychic powers
*Eating a lunar fruit such as a melon to be healthy, serene, and at peace
*Br ewing up a cup of chamomile or mint tea and enchanting it for sweet dreams and restful sleep
Day: Monday ( Moon-day)
Planet: Moon
Colors: Silver and White and Grey
Crystals: Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Silver, Selenite
Aroma: Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood, Moon Oil, African violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, and Wormwood
Herb: Moonwart
The sacred day of the Moon, personified by such goddesses as Selene, Luna, Diana, and Artemis. The Moon is ruler of flow affecting the changeable aspects of people. If a full moon falls on a Monday, its powers are at theirmmost potent. Magical aspects: peace, sleep, healing, compassion, friendships, psychic awareness, purification, and fertility
Monday is ruled by the moon – an ancient symbol of mystery and peace. Monday is a special day for mothers as the cycle of the moon has long been associated with the female menstrual cycle. Those wishing to conceive a baby would be wise to try on a Monday as the magic of motherhood is strong and pregnancy is in the air.
This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving agriculture, animals, female fertility, messages, reconciliation’s, theft, voyages, dreams, emotions, clairvoyance, home, family, medicine, cooking, personality, merchandising, psychic work, Faerie magic, and Goddess rituals.
We’re motivated by a strong desire to start fresh. A gut instinct to start something new is with us now, as well as the gumption to do so. Our pioneering impulses are strong, and we feel energetic, spontaneous, and enthusiastic. We may also be tactless and impulsive now. Excess energy is best channeled into physical activity.
The Moon in Aries generally favors the following activities: Quick actions that yield immediate results. Undertakings that involve the self and the personality. (Staying power may be lacking). Self-assertion, taking on challenges, beginning short-term projects.
Waning Moon
Moon phase: Fourth Quarter
Moon Sign: Aries
Moon enters Taurus 5: 53 pm
Incense: Lily
Color: Silver
Think for a moment on all of the witchery, magick and enchantments that you have discovered. Don’t be afraid to adjust spells to suit your own specific needs. Any gentle, illusory, and dreamy charms and spells can be enhanced when you work on the day of the week that is dedicated to the moon. Mondays are a fantastic day to boost your psychic abilities and to tune in to your intuition and empathy. It also gives you the opportunity to work with a different lunar phase each and every Monday, which means in one month you could work four different types of moon magicks on Mondays. How’s that for adding to your repertoire? You are going to have mad skills in no time at all.
So light up those lunar scented candles and add a little mystique to your outfit by wearing an enchanting lunar color. Wear your sparkling silver jewelry and maybe add a pair of dangling silver earrings or a pendant shaped like a crescent moon. Create lunar potions and philters; make a dream catcher and give it as a gift to someone you love. Burn some sandalwood or jasmine-scented incense today to inspire the glamour and magick of the moon. Slice up a favorite variety of fruit that is in season for a snack or share it with your love and enjoy his or her lunar and romantic qualities. Brew up a cup of chamomile tea, enchant it with a little moon magick, and relax and get a good night’s sleep.
Most importantly, get outside tonight and watch the moon for a while. What phase is she in? What color was the moon as she rose? Why not start a journal and write down at what location the moon rises and sets for a few seasons? This is a great way to teach you to tune in and to become more aware of the moon and the influence that she pulls into our lives. Try calling on Selene for her magickal assistance, and call Thoth for wisdom and strength. Get to know the Norse Mani and the Latvian Meness. These gods of the moon have plenty to teach, and if you allow their influence to cycle through your life, you’ll receive many blessings. Be imaginative, and create your own personal lunar magick and witchery. Go on….the moonlight becomes you.
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Monday Magick Power Hours:
Moonrise. Key Words: Magick, dreams, health, love, home and family In the word Monday, we can see part of the word Moon. In the romance languages such as Italian or Spanish, this day of the week is called Lunes and clearly relates to the word lunar. On Mondays, a variety of magick may be worked.
Because Monday centers on the energies of the Moon, things like psychism, dreams, feminine energy, health, success in spiritual pursuits, domestic matters, and things of family origin are especially important this day.
Mondays are best for love magick and anything concerning home or family, thus old saying, Mondays child is fair of face, which seems clearly to relate to the themes of love and health.
Angels of Monday are Gabriel, Arcan, Missabu, and Abuzaha. Arcan is known as the king of the angels of air and the “ruler” of Monday. Abuzaha (Abuzohar) serves Monday, and is very responsive to invocations and ritual magick. Missabu is a ministering angel of Arcan.
Monday is the Best Day For: Conjurations, Predictions, Knowledge, Writing, Eloquence. Planetary Association: Moon Norse Deity Associated With the Day: Frigga Origin of Name: “Monday” is short for “Moon Day” in honor of the day’s alignment with that planetary body.
Deities: Thoth, Selene: Aset [Isis], Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya, Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette, Sekhmet, Het Heret [Hathor]Monday is the day of moon goddesses Selene, Luna and Mani. Meaning “day of the moon” the name reflects the ancient observance of feast days dedicated to the Moon Goddess or to the planet. Focus on lunar energies, psychic development, dream or astral work, intuition, family, or spirituality.
Incense: Cinnamon, Cinquefoil Aromas: Sweetpea, Lavender, Mastic, Frankincense, Cloves
Candle: White
Metal: Silver
Plants: Wintergreen and other mints, catnip, comfrey, sage, chamomile
Use for magick involving mental issues, learning, higher education, addictions, communications, travel, young people, messages, perception, self-expression, artists, poets, and writers.
Marriage, emotional love, family, childbirth, prophecy.
Spells involving emotions, the subconscious,domestic issues and feminine issues. Also, a good day for psychic pursuits and dream work.Childbearing and family life, purity and virginity, healing, wisdom, intuition
Metal: Silver Gemstones: Pearl, opal, moonstone Associations: Childbearing and family life, purity and virginity, healing, wisdom, intuition
Best Colors for today are Silver, white, light blue, Pearls, Creams, Grays, Pale Pinks, Pale Violets, and Pale Blues.
Check whether the moon is waning or waxing to determine what your spell will be. During waning moons, do spells to rid yourself of obstacles or for wisdom and protection. During waxing moons do magic for increase of any kind or to draw something into your life.
On Mondays, the best hour to work is moonrise. Get this information from your local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac.
~SpiritualOccultist Calendar
• •
Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast
Monday is the sacred day of the moon, personified as the goddesses Selene, Luna, and Mani. The moon is ruler of flow, affecting the changeable and impressionable aspects of people. If a full moon falls on a Monday, then the powers of the moon are at their most potent.
Deity: Mani
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Planet: Moon
Tree: Willow
Herb: Chickweed
Stone: Agate
Animal: Crab
Element: Water
Color: Green
Rune: Lagu (L)
Celtic Tree Month of Duir(Oak) – June 10 – July 7. Oak month is a time for protection and strength, fertility, money and success, and good fortune.
Runic Half-Month of Dag(day) – June 14 – June 28
Goddess of the Month of Rosea – June 13 – July 10
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
Monday is the day of the moon itself, and it’s a day that’s connected to lunar colors like silver, white, or even a pale blue. Metals and gemstones like silver, pearl, opal and moonstone all come into play today.
There are plenty of deities associated with the moon – Thoth and Diana for instance – and herbal correspondences include many members of the mint family. Utilize wintergreen or peppermint, as well as catnip, comfrey, sage and chamomile in your workings.
When it comes to Monday magic, because of that lunar connection, it’s a good time to focus on workings related to childbearing and family life, purity and virginity, healing, wisdom, and intuition. Do a little bit of self exploration and work on developing your intuition – learn to trust your gut. Celebrate birth and life, and make some magic to fix what is broken.
Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by ThoughtCo
Monday – is associated with the Moon
Candle colors – white or gray
Spellwork for Mondays – Crossroads work to learn to read cards, dealing with family matters, Protection, Truth, Peace, Justice
—Old Style Conjure Wisdoms, Workings and Remedies
Starr Casas
The longest day of the year, the Summer Triangle, and other cool things in the sky this week.
By Richard Talcott
Monday, June 19
Jupiter appears halfway to the zenith in the southwestern sky during twilight this week and doesn’t set until nearly 2 a.m. local daylight time. The brilliant planet shines at magnitude –2.1 and dominates the evening sky. It appears nearly stationary against the background stars of Virgo, some 11° northwest of the Maiden’s brightest star, 1st-magnitude Spica. When viewed through a telescope, Jupiter’s disk spans 39″ and shows a wealth of atmospheric detail. East Coast residents who observe the giant planet early this evening also have the opportunity to see the shadows of its moons Io and Europa on the cloud tops. Io’s shadow appears on the disk as soon as the planet comes out after sunset, while Europa’s shadow joins it at 10:04 p.m. EDT. You’ll see both for the next 34 minutes before Io’s shadow lifts back into space. Europa’s sticks around until 12:28 a.m. EDT.
Tuesday, June 20
Although Venus reached its greatest elongation from the Sun earlier this month, it now rises earlier and climbs higher in the east before dawn. It rises shortly after 3 a.m. local daylight time and stands 17° above the horizon an hour before sunrise. It’s hard to mistake the inner planet for anything else — at magnitude –4.3, it shines brighter than any other point of light in the sky. And this morning, you’ll see it paired with a lovely crescent Moon, which lies about 7° to Venus’ right. (Tomorrow morning, a thinner crescent Moon hangs a similar distance to the planet’s lower left.) When viewed through a telescope, Venus shows a 20″-diameter disk that appears slightly more than half-lit.
Wednesday, June 21
Earth’s summer solstice occurs at 12:24 a.m. EDT (9:24 p.m. PDT on June 20), when the Sun reaches its farthest point north in the sky. This marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and the day of the solstice has more hours of sunlight than any other. From mid-northern latitudes, however, the earliest sunrise occurred about a week ago and the latest sunset won’t happen until next week.
Mercury passes behind the Sun from Earth’s perspective at 10 a.m. EDT. This means the innermost planet lies on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth and remains hidden in our star’s glare. It will return to view in the evening sky early next month.
Thursday, June 22
Magnificent Saturn reached its peak just a week ago, when it appeared opposite the Sun in the sky, and our view of the ringed planet remains spectacular. It is on display nearly all night among the background stars of southern Ophiuchus, hanging in the southeastern sky as darkness falls and climbing high in the south by midnight local daylight time. Saturn continues to shine brightly, too, at magnitude 0.0. When viewed through a telescope, the dramatic ring system spans 42″ and tilts 27° to our line of sight, while the planet’s family of moderately bright moons appears next to the gorgeous world.
Friday, June 23
New Moon occurs at 10:31 p.m. EDT. At its New phase, the Moon crosses the sky with the Sun and so remains hidden by our star. Because the Moon also reaches perigee, the closest point in its orbit around Earth, today (at 6:52 a.m. EDT), residents in coastal areas can expect higher than normal tides for the next few days. At perigee, the center of the Moon lies 222,412 miles (357,937 kilometers) from Earth’s center.
Saturday, June 24
The conspicuous Summer Triangle asterism dominates the eastern sky in late evening. Vega, the triangle’s brightest member, shines at magnitude 0.0 and stands highest of the three stars. To its lower left lies Deneb; at magnitude 1.3, it’s the faintest of the trio. Magnitude 0.8 Altair completes the bright asterism. Despite its name, the Summer Triangle appears prominent from late spring until winter begins.
Sunday, June 25
This week offers a good opportunity for binocular users to track down the northern sky’s brightest globular cluster. M5, whose 100,000 stars glow at a combined magnitude of 5.7, lies in the southwestern corner of the constellation Serpens the Serpent. You can locate it just 0.4° north-northwest of the 5th-magnitude star 5 Serpentis. Binoculars show the cluster as a hazy ball of light punctuated by a bright core.
Jun 23, 2017, 10:31 PM Sun Conjunct Moon (New Moon)
Jun 30, 2017, 8:51 PM Sun Square Moon (First Quarter Moon)
Jul 9, 2017, 12:07 AM Sun Opposition Moon (Full Moon)
Jul 16, 2017, 3:26 PM Sun Square Moon (Last Quarter Moon)
Jul 23, 2017, 5:46 AM Sun Conjunct Moon (New Moon)
The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 83.79° E
Sun Altitude: 32.62°
Sun Distance: 94.457 million mi
Next Solstice: Jun 20, 2017 11:24 pm (Summer)
Sunrise Today: 5:34 am↑ 59° Northeast
Sunset Today: 8:17 pm↑ 301° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 42 minutes
The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 176.13° S
Moon Altitude: 57.97°
Moon Distance: 229900 mi
Next New Moon: Jun 23, 20179:30 pm
Next Full Moon: Jul 8, 201711:06 pm
Next Moonset: Today3:16 pm
Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 27.7%
Summer brings the Earth’s orbit
much closer to the sun.
On the longest day of the year,
let us praise what is above.
In ancient days, the sun was a god,
known by many names.
All would honor their dependence
upon that fiery blaze.
So join me now, as in days of old
on this summer day,
brothers and sisters of the grove,
let us give our thanks.
Gather branches of the fallen oak
to build a roaring fire.
Let us dance and sing around it,
while Sun and fire fuel desire.
Gather lavender and make a wish
then throw it in the flames,
thinking kindly of our fellow man
without naming any names.
Drink the honeysuckle Sun warmed tea
mixed with chamomile from the meadows,
make our crowns and chains of daisy
adorned with lily, dandelion and rose.
Litha, Summer Solstice,
It’s a midsummer dream,
where we dance with the goddess
and the man of green.
As the days begin to shorten from here,
and the cold starts to creep like ivy
my spiritual fire’s as hot as the sun,
and I’ll keep it burning deep inside me.
—Tina King, Author
All Poetry
Perform this ritual three days before the full moon, preferably when the moon is in the sign of Cancer, Pisces, or Scorpio. Begin by brewing a strong tea made from yarrow or mugwort. Light thirteen purple votive candles to help attract psychic influence. Drink tea, stare into a magick mirror, crystal ball, or pyramid and chant three times:
“I invoke thee, O Asariel,
Archangel of Neptune
And Ruler of clairvoyant powers.
I ask thee now to open my
Third eye
And show me the hidden light.
Let me see the future.
Let me see the past.
Let me perceive the divine
Kingdoms of the unknown.
Let me understand the wisdom
Of the mighty universe.
So mote it be!”
After chanting, relax, breathe slowly, concentrate on opening your third eye. Do not allow negative thoughts to enter.
The longest night of the year is honored by many traditions as a sacred time.
In the past, it’s been a night to gather ’round the fire or set out candles to call back the Sun. It’s on the 21st in 2016.
Is this where the date for Christmas came from? The indigenous Europeans had already been celebrating the birth of the Sun as part of Yule for thousands of years.
Endings and Darkness
In Latin, solstice means sun set still and Winter Solstice is the great stillness before the Sun’s strength builds, and days grow longer.
It can be a time to rest and reflect. It’s the fruitful dark out of which new life can eventually emerge. In ancient times and for some today, the darkness itself is the spiritual cradle into which the Sun is reborn.
Father Time with his sickle appears briefly and bids us farewell before the newborn babe appears at New Years. Everything lies dormant in the silent night, a sacred time of rest before the awakening, and the slow build toward longer days.
Keeping the Faith
This time of year is associated with light — string lights, sparklers and of course, candles.
There’s the advent wreath of the Christian faith and the all-night bonfire for the burning of the Yule log, a tradition with roots in Northern European pre-Christian times. The lights are reminders of the inner light and hope for the return of sunny days.
Winter Blues
The timeless traditions during the dark season of lights and celebrations are thought to be an attempt to balance out the sunless gloom of winter.
Seasonal depression is brought on by a lack of sunlight, and a drop in serotonin levels.
In Roman times, the Feast of Saturnalia was meant to counteract the heavy dark and the season’s reminder of mortality. Named for Saturn, the ultimate buzz-kill at any party, their feast turned normal Saturnian boundaries and order on its head.
Masters became servants, and gambling and excess were encouraged.
Creating Warmth
The many seasonal gatherings help to carry us through the dark time of the year. There’s a melancholy that can be overwhelming without the promise of a new beginning. It’s normal to feel that tinge of sorrow at life’s endings, here at the dying of the year.
Parties and holiday gatherings remind us that we’re all in it together. We long for a sense of belonging, being part of a tribe, feeling that deep bond of family.
The Reason for Seasons
The Earth is tilted on its axis like a top, which astronomers figured out is at 23 degrees. The seasons are flip-flopped, with Winter Solstice coming in December for the Northern hemisphere and in June for the Southern hemisphere.
That’s why Australians are wearing jumpers in summer and swimsuits in winter, and our seasons are reversed. To avoid confusion, sometimes they’re called June and December solstice.
A Sun is Born
At Newgrange cairn in Ireland, the sun’s rays shine onto the triple-spiral symbol in the burial chamber. The megalithic mound is womb shaped, and the triple-spiral is thought to come from the earlier Goddess cultures, representing the triplicity of Mother, Maiden, and Crone.
The light of the Sun begins a new solar cycle at Winter Solstice. The rays shine into the dark and nurture the newborn life there to be cultivated. And this is mirrored in nature, as the seeds are buried in the darkness of the Earth, to emerge once again with the life-giving rays of the Sun.
Birthing Dreams
The longest night is a fruitful time for setting intentions, to be birthed with the newborn Sun. What you conceive now can grow with the Sun, and gain momentum in Spring. You might start a tradition of setting Winter Solstice intentions, and in one year, see how many have come into being. Put them in a special tin or box that has meaning for you.
The dark before the dawn, just like New Moons, can be a powerful moment of magic, drawing in what you’d like to see happen in the new year.
by Molly Hall
Published on ThoughtCo
The Longest Day
What’s Bearing Fruit?
The Sun’s beams are at their brightest, for the longest day (here in the Northern latitudes). Summer Solstice is on June 21st, and it’s one of the four grand turning points of the solar year.
What’s begun at the Spring Equinox, with Sun into Aries, is coming to life from the vitality and intention brought to it. Tomatoes are ripening on the vine.
Traditionally Summer Solstice has been a time of outdoor celebrations, especially for Northern Europeans who lived through the darkness of the Ice Age.
The Sun is life-giving, and this is its peak, before the waning begins again.
The Sun’s peak means physical vitality is high, and in natural settings, the garden is at its lushest point. You might reflect on which of your Spring projects or activities is bearing fruit.
It’s also simply a time to enjoy family and friends, and tend to the nest, with the Sun into homey Cancer. This sets off a month for family get-togethers, reminiscing and catching up with old friends.
You may light a candle, to symbolize the brightness of the season. Or create a bonfire and jump over it, like in olden times.
Long Summer Day
Summer is here, with the Sun into Cancer and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. When the Sun is at its most northerly point, hovering over the astrological Tropic of Cancer, that’s known as the summer solstice.
The Earth is tilted on its axis, so like a sunflower, the Northern Hemisphere has its face toward the life-giving Sun.
The Sun is at its most powerful, and appears to stand still in the sky, and that’s what solstice means in Latin. After the summer solstice, the Sun’s rays will begin to light up more of the Southern Hemisphere, and days will start to shorten in the North.
The bright glowing orb we call The Sun is celebrated in many traditions at the summer solstice. There are fire dances, bonfires, and in the olden days, the ancients rolled fire wheels down the hills. The ancients of Europe were sun worshippers, as they knew they needed it to survive the harsh winters.
There’s also a long tradition of ritual bathing, dipping in the cleansing waters. Fire and water are celebrated at the summer solstice, along with the Earth as Mother Goddess, at her most abundant.
It’s a celebration of the Earth, the feminine and the living natural world. It’s one of the four cardinal turning points of the solar calendar, along with the Winter Solstice and the Spring and Fall Equinoxes.
For those living in harmony with nature’s cycles, it’s the season to harvest herbs and honey. Many couples still marry in June, at the peak of nature’s abundance. Some traditions would feed the newlyweds honey-laced foods for the entire first month, which is where “honeymoon” comes from.
The Full Moon in June is the Honey Moon.
Cancer Zodiac Begins the Season
The summer solstice coincides with the Sun’s ingress into Cancer, and the official start of the season. Cancer is the water cardinal sign of the mother, nurturing, and family.
It’s a high spirited time, when solar light is radiant and the feminine energies are in abundance, too.
There are parades, picnics, festivals and celebrations of all kinds in the Northern Hemisphere at this time, often outdoors. It’s an exuberant time, in contrast to the deep introversion of Winter.
Becoming aware of these solar turning points tunes you into the natural rhythm of the seasons. The summer solstice is the peak of sunlight, and the Sun as radiant manna of all that grows, has been celebrated with feasts, dancing and just being together. After the solstice, the days begin to shorten slowly toward the Fall Equinox, when days and nights are equal again
by Molly Hall
Published on ThoughtCo
The ancient Shinto festival of the Cleansing Lily originated from the need to dispel early summer downpours that would invariably lead to flooding. The lily stalks were gathered at dawn by seven maidens wearing white robes. the stalks were taken to local shrines for blessings. The flowers stayed in these temples overnight, during which time they were prayed over by the priests. Early the next morning, a procession led by the maidens walked through the town’s streets, waving the lilies to attract moisture-free weather.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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